Two Paths
by SilentThunder23
Summary: Her two old teammates, both bleeding, both dying and she only had enough energy to save one. NaruSaku. SasuSaku. Character Death.


**Original Series: **Naruto/Naruto Shippuuden

**Story Title: **Two Paths.

**Summary: **One-shot. Her two old teammates, both bleeding, both dying and she only had enough energy to save one. NaruSaku. SasuSaku.

**Pairing/s: **NaruSaku, SasuKa, SasuSaku. Mentions, ShikaTema and KibaHina.

**Warning, **Character death. May come off as rather Anti.

* * *

-SasuSaku-

Sakura stood perfectly still staring at the two, her two old teammates, both bleeding, both dying and she only had enough energy to save one.

Sakura quickly ran to Sasuke's side, the Uchiha protested but she ignored his pleas to save the blonde. Naruto smiled at the pair and Sasuke stared in horror as Naruto's blue orbs accepted one simple fact, Sakura would never love him. Sasuke knew, at that very second, that Naruto wouldn't ask to be saved, that the blonde wouldn't want to be saved anymore.

Naruto could not live with that heart ache, could not be on the same team as the woman he loved and the man she loved. Naruto had given up hope.

Sasuke watched the life seemingly flow out of the teen, after that day, neither Sasuke nor Sakura were the same again.

A shattered team seven returned to Konoha. As soon as she heard Hinata broke down crying and Kiba and Shino comforted her. Sasuke watched with great pain as Kiba fought back tears. After Naruto's funeral, no one was the same again.

Ino never spoke to Sakura and didn't chase after Sasuke, she couldn't look either in the eyes and Sasuke understood why. Naruto had died for Sasuke too live. In fact, Sasuke realised, that no one went out their way to spend time with the pair. The left over of team seven joined ANBU and went their separate ways.

Sasuke and Sakura eventually got married and had children.

Sasuke would smile at his children and give them gifts and put them on his shoulders and run around yelling about brave Uchiha's and he would laugh and tell the kids jokes. He was a wonderful farther. Sasuke Uchiha rarely spoke more then a sentence to Sakura. He never said I love you and that in its self broke Sakura's heart.

Sasuke couldn't even face Sakura, couldn't understand why she'd chosen him and broken Naruto. Naruto would have lived if he had hope but she took it away. The Uchiha didn't blame her for his death, not one bit, Sasuke blamed himself, he loved her but he'd never say it, because he didn't deserve her love. Naruto had deserved it and Sasuke had taken it from him. Sasuke would never forgive himself for what he'd done.

* * *

-NaruSaku-

Sakura stood perfectly still staring at the two, her two old teammates, both bleeding, both dying and she only had enough energy to save one.

Sakura quickly ran to Naruto's side, the blonde protested and smacked her hand away. Sakura growled slightly and continued to heal him. Naruto looked at the Uchiha, who smiled slightly. Naruto didn't understand how Sasuke could be happy about the fact he was going to die.

Then the redhead was kneeling next to the Uchiha. He bit into her arm and Naruto winced as he watched the girl suppress the pain. Naruto was content that Sasuke would survive and watched as the redhead tried to hide her worried tears. Sasuke smiled at her.

"It's okay Karin," the dark haired teen had told her, Sakura turned her head to stare at the two but soon returned to healing Naruto. "I'll be fine." Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other as they both shut their eyes and let sleep take them.

They woke up in the hospital, in the same room and Karin and Sakura sat nearby. The pair had obviously been in some sort of conversation before Naruto woke up.

"Bastard? Bastard are you alive?" Naruto questioned as the Uchiha's eyes fluttered open. Karin smiled as Sakura went to check all the medical mumbo jumbo out.

When they got out everyone was happy. Kiba smacked Naruto on the back with a grin and congratulated him on completing their mission. Hinata smiled at Naruto before reminding Kiba that they had a date. Temari had given the blonde a warm smile before glaring at Shikamaru, who had decided he would call Naruto troublesome. In general, everyone was happy, even the villagers seemed happy that Naruto had survived; it could've been that he brought Sasuke back but Sakura had told Naruto it was because he was alive. Naruto would believe anything Sakura said. Then the blonde whispered in her ear, telling her that he loved Sakura Haruno, that he would never love anyone else.

"I love you Naruto, more then anything," Sakura had whispered back.

Years later Naruto became the Hokage and asked Sakura to love him, forever and always, he asked her to marry him and she accepted. Sasuke and Shikamaru were Naruto's best men and Ino, Tenten and Hinata were Sakura's bridesmaids.

Karin caught the bouquet, she hadn't even tried, it just came near her and she snatched it. Naruto had given her a warm smile and then smacked Sasuke's shoulder and congratulated him on being the next to get married.

He wasn't, Shikamaru and Temari were but Karin and Sasuke were married shortly after that.

They restored the Uchiha clan to a fragment of its former glory, so Sasuke would whisper "I love you" and "thank you" to the girl every morning and every night.

Sakura was proud of the choice she had made, she took the less obvious fork in the road and she had made so many lives brighter and happier, she had gotten the future she'd always wanted. Sakura loved Naruto. Nothing else really mattered.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I wanted the NaruSaku ending to be happier and I knew it wouldn't if Sasuke had died, or Hinata had come and saved Naruto in the first one. Two different paths lead to two different places.

Yes, Sasuke loves Sakura in the first one.

Yes, Sakura loves Naruto in the second one.

Yes, Sasuke loves Karin in the second one.


End file.
